The American Sign Language Phrase Book

Open up a whole new world of communication through ASL

You can easily learn ASL with help from The American Sign Language Phrase Book. With more than 500 phrases, this is the reference guide to everyday expressions in American Sign Language, providing a quick way for you to converse with deaf people.

Clearly illustrated with hundreds of line drawings, this book focuses on areas such as health, family, school, sports, travel, religion, time, money, food and drink, and small talk. This edition's new chapter on technology boasts 50 phrases to help you communicate about the Internet, computing, video relay, and more. There is even a chapter that gives you phrases for communicating about signing: asking people to sign slower, indicating your fingerspelling ability, and requesting help with your fledgling skills.

From asking simple questions (“How are you?”) to more complex phrases (“There's no sign for that, you have to fingerspell it.”), The American Sign Language Phrase Book gives you the power to communicate easily and comfortably in ASL.

Lou Fant (1931-2001) was considered a leading expert in the ASL field--and considered the ambassador between two worlds. He was a teacher, interpreter, consultant, sign language coach, and actor. His accomplishments included cofounding the National Theatre of the Deaf in 1967; creating the sign laguage for the film Clan of the Cave Bear; being the sign language coach in Children of a Lesser God; coaching such actors as Diane Keaton and Mare Winningham; appearing in scores of movies, plays, TV shows; and hosting the Emmy Award-winning TV program "Off Hand."

Lou Fant (1931-2001) was heralded as a leading expert in the ASL field and an ambassador between the deaf and hearing worlds. He was a teacher, interpreter, consultant, sign language coach, and actor. Fant cofounded the National Theatre of the Deaf in 1967.

Barbara Bernstein Fant has taught beginning and advanced ASL at Seattle Central Community College since 1990. On occasion, she contracts with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and Seattle Diversity Words in providing ASL classes and tutoring to various corporations. She has served as the chairperson of the Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services board.